Running for fun and charity on Phu My Bridge on Sunday

About 5,000 people took part in a charity fun-run at a new bridge over the Saigon River on Sunday.

The fun-runners began the informal race on the approach road in District 7 and then ran, jogged or walked over, under and around the bridge, enjoying spectacular views of the river and the city skyline as they went.

The event was held by the Australian Consulate General, sponsored by ANZ Bank and supported by the Phu My Bridge Corporation, which owns the new crossing, the HCMC Department of Transport and the engineering firms that built the bridge: Bilfinger Berger of Germany and Baulderstone of Australia.

Adults paid VND100,000 to enter the race, while children and students paid VND50,000.

All proceeds from the fun run will be used to benefit disadvantaged Vietnamese people through the Loreto Vietnam-Australia Program and the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the consulate said.

The exact sum of money will be announced later.

Phu My Bridge Corporation chairman Nguyen Thanh Thai said the event would be repeated on the same day in subsequent years.

On September 9, his company will officially open the bridge to motorbikes and cars of seven seats or fewer. Some 9,000 people who were born on that day will be invited to attend, Thai said.

Larger vehicles will be allowed to cross in December, Thai added.

The VND2 trillion (US$112 million) bridge took more than two years to build and has the most cable stays of any bridge in Vietnam.

Reported by Van Khoa